In 1767 the king and his party tried a new scheme of taxation. The object of the Stamp Act had been to raise money to pay the king’s soldiers in the country. The new tax had 3 objects. 1) To pay the soldiers sent to the colonies to do the king’s will! 2) To pay the governors, judges and other officers of the Crown in the colonies. 3) To give large sums of money to lauding citizens and thus lure them to use their influence for the king.

The Americans were not to be caught in this trap. They saw that the king was endeavoring to exalt his own power and deprive them of theirs and that the taxes were for that very purpose. The great body of merchants throughout the colonies now agreed not to import taxed articles. Others like Sam Adams, bound themselves not to eat nothing, drink nothing, wear nothing imported from England until all the taxes on goods should be taken off. Parliament then decided to take off all taxes on the goods except one of a few cents on a pound of tea.

This tax was not for the purpose of the money but for maintaining the right of the British government to tax the colonies. The price of the tea was subsidized by the king so that the Americans could afford to buy it, tax and all, cheaper than they could smuggle it from Holland. though the colonists wanted the tea they declared that they would not take it if any tax, even the smallest, was demanded. Parliament again made the mistake of believing that our forefathers did not mean what they said. Three tea ships were accordingly sent to Boston and cargoes were likewise dispatched to New York, Philadelphia and charleston but they were sent back or destroyed.

In 1773 Boston citizens refused to permit the tea to be landed. If the ships were not unloaded within 20 days the Custom House Officers had the right to unload them and it would have been the same as if they had paid the tax. For 19 days the men of the colonies tried to negotiate a reasonable settlement with the king’s agents but it was to no avail. Unless something decisive would be done the tea would be brought ashore at sunrise the next morning.

An immense meeting was held in the Old South Meeting House. After discussing the matter all day until evening set in it was found impossible to get the vessel sent back to England. Samuel Adams rose and said, “THIS MEETING CAN DO NOTHING MORE TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY!” These words were the signal for action! Suddenly a company of citizens disguised as Indians appeared at the church door and gave a war whoop!

THEY RUSHED DOWN TO THE WHARF AND UPON BOARDING THE VESSELS EMPTIED EVERY CHEST OF TEA, $100.000 WORTH, INTO THE HARBOR! A Bostonian jokingly asked if tea would mix with salt water? The patriots settled that question and the tax problem at the same time!

(to be continued)

Parliament closes the Boston port and places a governor over the people: